Elevator system



Feb. 23, 1937. w. F. EAMES ELEVATOR SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 14, 1934 w 1 a M A Rm 0 X. 2 w 2% 4a 7 E "n m .0 %M 3 W W U/Mv-A .JO 3 m 2 P m m m y 3 W 7 L 3 W 1 7 Z Z a r Feb. 23, 1937. w EAMES 2,071,820

ELEVATOR SYSTEM Filed April 14, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fly. 6.

2:4 ZUN WITNESSES: F INVENTOR W, M1210; FE'ames.

.4? Mm [iv 56% Feb. 23, 1937. w E 2,071,820

ELEVATOR SYSTEM Filed April 14, 1934 3 Sheets$heet 3 55a B502 B504 WITNESSES:

INVENTOR 7 William F'Eames.

AT N EY Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELEVATOR SYSTEM Pennsylvania Application April 14, 1934, Serial No. 720,585

13 Claims.

My invention relates to an elevator control system and more particularly to the combination of a signalling system and control system for a bank of elevator cars.

One object of my invention is to provide an elevator system in which a set of signals cooperate with a control system to produce the most eflicient handling of passengers.

Another object is to provide a selective system in which no two cars will be stopped for the same signal.

Another object is to relieve the car attendant of the necessity of making a sudden response to signals given by prospective passengers at the floors in order to produce efiicient operation.

The system comprises signals, located in the car, actuated in response to prospective passengers pressing push-buttons associated with the various floors, and control switches on the car actuated by a car attendant in response to the signals. Pressing any given button sets up a signal available to the elevators of the bank when they come within a predetermined zone of the floor at which the signal originated. The car attendants respond to the signal by operating an associated control switch, and the first car that responds by slowing down renders the signals in the other cars of the bank unresponsive. The responding car slows down and stops automatically at the floor at which the signal originated.

My invention may best be understood by referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of my invention, wherein Figure 1 illustrates the relation between various mechanical parts associated with one car in a system embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a detailed View of a floor selector used in my system;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of an inductor switch used in my invention;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of a control switch and signal assembly on the car corresponding to one of the floors;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the assembly shown in Fig. 4; and

Figs. 6 and 7 together are a diagrammatic showing of the connections for a bank of two elevators serving six floors in accordance with my invention. I

Referring to Fig. 1, which shows the relation of the mechanical parts of one elevator of a group comprising my invention, a motor I is illustrated driving a shaft upon which is mounted a brake sheave 6, a traction sheave 2 and the generator of a self-synchronizing drive 9. The motor I drives the traction sheave 2 which in turn drives a cable 3 having one end fastened to a counterweight 4, and the other end fastened to the car 5 disposed in a hatchway indicated by the dotted lines 45. This motor is driven by a controller not shown in this figure, past the floors at which it is desired to give elevator service. Two inductor switches E and F are illustrated as mounted on the car 5 to cooperate with inductor plates to decelerate and stop the car at the various floors from either direction of travel. The action of these inductors is explained in detail in a patent to H. W. Williams No. 1,800,126, issued April 7, 1931, and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company.

The action of the inductors is illustrated in Fig. 3. Closing switch 35 causes coil 36 to become energized from battery 34. An open magnetic circuit is then established through the core of the inductor extending from projection 31 through the coil to the projection 4|. When the car's motion brings the car opposite an inductor plate, this magnetic path is partially closed and a magnetic attraction causes finger 39 to move to the position shown. In so doing, the contact between finger 39 and stationary contact 40 is broken. When the car moves past the plate a slight attraction between finger 39 and projection 4| holds the contact open until the coil is deenergized. The opening of the contact initiates either a slowdown or a stopping action in the elevator controller. When the coil is deenergized the contacts reset.

A set of switches 20, 2| and 22 are shown mounted on the car 5 to be used by the car attendant for controlling the motion of the car. Switch 2| causes the car to start in an up direction. Car motion once initiated, is maintained by a self-holding circuit so that the switch need not be held in its operated position. Switch 22 causes the car to start in a down direction. The group of switches 20 is used by the car attendant to set up car stops for the various floors.

Figs. 4 and 5 show switch 20 in detail. Each switch has associated with it a marker 28 to indicate the floor associated with the switch, a signal jewel 21, and a signal lamp 33 to indicate to the operator that a call exists at the corresponding fioor. Two coils 29 and 29a are mounted on the sides of the switch and arranged to cooperate with extensions of magnetic material on the switch handle 20a in such a way that when the coil 29 or 29a is energized the switch lever 20a will remain in the direction thrown. Movement of the lever 20a causes a corresponding movement of a roller 36 of insulating material which in turn closes a circuit between contact members 3| and 32 or contact members 3m and 32a, mounted in an insulating block 44, depending on the direction of throw. The closing of these contacts in cooperation with the closing of other contacts on the floor selector initiates the stopping of the elevators at the associated floors.

Either direction of throw will cause the car to stop at the associated floor with either direction of car travel. The handle is pushed towards the marker 28 for calls originating in the car and towards the illuminated jewel 2i for calls originating at the associated floor. The reason for this difference will appear later.

Referring again to- Fig. l, a brake magnet B is illustrated which, when deenergized, causes brake shoes 1 to engage the brake sheaves 6 by spring pressure in a manner Well known in the art. The self-synchronizing generator 9 is connected to a self-synchronizing motor It) in a manner well known in the art. Motor it, through a reduction gear ll, drives a sprocket l2 which drives a chain 13 having one end fastened to a counterweight l5, and the other end fastened to a floor selector carriage Hi. The connections are so arranged that fioor selector carriage l4 moves up and down between rails IS in synchronism with the movement of the elevator.

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of the selector carriage Hi. This carriage carries a plurality of brushes is which commutate various circuits by a sliding contact with a plurality of stationary segments i'l associated with the floors served by the elevator. The circuits from the brushes l8 are carried to the other parts of the system through a flexible connecting cable 19.

Referring again to Fig. 1, each floor intermediate the terminal floors is provided with an up switch and a down switch 2-". for signalling the cars of the bank. Only one set of switches is provided at each floor. Each car is provided with a direction indicating signal 23 at each intermediate iioor. This signal comprises an up lantern 2UL indicating up motion of the car and a down lantern 2DL indicating the down direction. At the terminal floors only one lantern per car is provided, illustrated as lantern 25 for the bottom terminal floor. Each intermediate floor is provided with a set of inductor plates per car illustrated as 2UP and lUP for slowing down and stopping the up moving car, and plates 2DP and lDP for slowing down and stopping the down moving car. Slowing down and stopping at the terminal floors is preferably accomplished by mechanical stopping switches in a manner well known in the art.

My invention can best be understood from a consideration of the diagram and assumed operations. Figs. 6 and '7 illustrate the connections for two cars A and B. Fig. 6 shows the circuits associated with car A with the selector brushes located in a position corresponding to the car at the third floor. Fig. '7 shows the circuits associated with car B with the selector brushes located in the position they will have when car B is at the fourth floor. Car A may be started by closing switches 5!], 55, and 2|.

Closing switch 50 connects the stator windings of the motor generator set to the A. C. supply which causes the motor generator set to come up to speed. The generator 52, on the same shaft with the driving motor, is running at full speed but no voltage is being generated as its field windings 53 and 54 are deenergized.

Closing switch 55 connects the D. C. control voltage to the supply wires. The plus wire is connected to L-}- and the minus wire is connected to L. Energizing L+ and L causes the two relay coils X and Y to become energized simultaneously. As each coil controls a normally closed contact in the other coils circuit, whichever relay becomes energized first will disconnect the circuit to the other relay coil, and the first to be energized will remain energized. In this case we will assume relay X becomes energized and in so doing, it opens its contact XI which causes coil Y to remain in the deenergized position.

Contact X2 in closing energizes the four holding coils marked 29a, through a circuit extending from L through contact X2, through the four coils in series to L-|-. Contact X3 closes and energizes the up floor lantern 3UL at the third floor for car A through a circuit extending from line L through contacts V4, X3 to brush 60 of the floor selector, through C3 segment of the floor selector and through the 3UL lantern to L+. Car A is now ready to run and as mentioned before, it is stationed at the third floor and its up direction indicating lantern is lighted.

The car attendant now closes the car door and gate, and their interlock contacts (not shown) prepare the control circuits to permit operation of the car in a manner well known. I have illustrated the car as being controlled by a Ward Leonard drive in response to the operation of two push buttons located in the car and marked up and down. The control mechanism for starting and bringing the car to rest does not constitute a feature of my invention, and I have illustrated these circuits as simply as possible.

To start the car on an up trip the attendant presses the control push button 2! which causes the car to accelerate to full speed and continue running at full speed until caused to decelerate by other means, as will be described later.

Operating the push button 2i causes contact 2la to close and contact M1) to open. Opening contact 2|b is without effect as this circuit is already opened by contact XI being in the open position. The purpose of this contact is to deenergize relay Y and permit relay X to become energized in the event that relay Y was the first relay to become energized under the conditions assumed when the switch 55 was closed as described previously.

Closing contacts 2 0. provide a circuit for energizing coil U extending from L+ through contacts 2 la, D4, coil U, contact-F2 to L. Relay U moves to the energized position and closes contacts U1, U2, U3, U5 and U6 and opens contact U 1. Contact U5 in closing establishes a self-holding circuit for maintaining coil U in the energized position since contact U5 parallels contact 2m. Contacts U1 and U2 in closing provide a circuit for energizing the shunt field 5 1 of the generator through a circuit extending from L+ through contact U2, field 54, contact UI, and through resistor iii, to L. This permits a current limited by the value of resistor 8| to flow through generator field 54. Armature 52 now supplies a low voltage for energizing the motor armature for operating the elevator at low speed. Contact U3 closing provides a circuit for energizing the brake coil 8 and relay M through a circuit extending from L+ through contact U3, coils 8 and M in parallel to L. The brake coil 8 upon being energized releases the brake shoe 1, permitting the motor E to start the elevator car moving. Contact U6 closing provides a circuit for energizing coil V, extending from L+ through contacts U6, and El, through coil V to L. Coil V closes contact VI which shorts out resistor BI providing full field energization for the generator shunt field 54. The generator 52 now generates full voltage and the elevator motor comes up to full speed. Contact V4 opens and interrupts the circuit previously traced to the third floor up lantern 3UL. The car now accelerates to full speed and leaves floor 3. When the elevator motor I starts rotating it causes the sheave I2 to rotate through a remote control drive 9 and Ill and a reduction gear II. Generator 9 is part of a self-synchronizing drive and controls motor I0. These two operate in synchronism in a manner well known in the art for driving the selector carriage up and down in synchronism with the car. Motor I0 drives the worm gear I I which causes the sheave I2 to rotate at a reduced speed compared to that of the motor. sheave I2 drives a chain I3, one end of which is connected to the selector carriage I4 and the other end of which is connected to a counterweight I5 as illustrated in Fig. 1.

As the carriage I4 moves up and down, the brushes which are mounted on the carriage and indicated in Fig. 6 by the numbers 60 to 8| inclusive, are moved into engagement with segments associated with the various floors. The dotted outline which surrounds these brushes represents the carriage I 4. Brush 60 is illustrated as moving to contact segments 02, c3, c4, c5 and 06, as the car moves up and down the shaft. The segments are associated with floors indicated by the subscript number. Brush 6| contacts segments d2 to d5 in a similar manner. Brush 62 is shown electrically connected to brush 69 and these two brushes cooperate to electrically connect e and j segments such as e4 and f4.

Four pairs of brushes similar to those marked 62 and G9 are illustrated in the diagram as moving in engagement with segments e and 1. These other pairs are marked 63 and 68, 64 and 61, and 65 and 66. The latter two pairs of brushes are illustrated as connecting segments e5 and 15 together electrically, while the first two sets of brushes are shown electrically connected to segments e4 and f4. If each segment corresponds roughly to the travel of the car between floors, it will be evident that these brushes are spaced approximately a half floor of car travel apart, the purpose for this will become apparent from later description. In some embodiments of my invention, it may be desirable to extend these pairs of brushes to electrically connect pairs of segments for several more floors than those shown in Fig. 6. It will be apparent that as only six floors have been indicated in the diagram, it is impractical to illustrate more than two floor segments being so connected. As the selector brushes have been illustrated in the position they will occupy with the car stationed at the third floor, it is evident that the e and 1 segments for the fourth and fifth floors have been shown connected together by the pairs of brushes. These two floors are the two floors in advance of the cars motion on the up trip. Similar connections are shown for segments 9'2 and k2 corresponding to the second floor for the car when its motion is in the down direction and the car positioned at the third floor. Two sets of brushes for the down direction namely I5 and I8, and I6 and 11 are illustrated as not being in contact with any segments. Segments which would correspond to the position of these brushes would be for the first floor or lower terminal fioor. I have found it unnecessary to provide these segments.

Up brush I0 is associated with segments g2 to g5. Brush II is associated with segments M to h5. This brush is effective on down motion of the car and corresponds to brush 60 for the up motion. Down brush I2 is associated with segments i2 to 2'5 and corresponds to brush SI for the up motion. Down brushes I3 to have been previously described. Down brush 8| is associated with segments m2 to m5 and correspond to brush I0 for the up motion. It will be apparent from the diagram and from Fig. 2 that as the car moves up and down all of these brushes move up and down and make contact with their associated segments. The circuits to these brushes are electrically interlocked by relays X and Y so that the up brushes and segments are eflective only on up car travel and the down brushes and segments are effective only on down car travel.

My invention can best be understood from an assumed operation of the circuits. I have previously described how the elevator is brought up to speed in response to the operation of push buttonscarried on the car. If I assume the car leaving the bottom terminal with a car passenger who has expressed his desire to leave the car at the fourth floor, the attendant will respond by moving the switch lever 40 (Fig. 6) to the left. Fig. 5 shows this switch in detail.

The lever 40 is held in this position by the previously energized coil 29a associated with the switch. Moving the lever 40 closes contacts 4CI and 402 but no action results at this time. As the car progresses up the shaft, brush 6| engages segment d4 and a circuit is provided for energizing coil S extending from L+ through contact 4C1 to segment d4 through brush BI and contact X4, through coil S and contact M2 to L. When the coil S becomes energized, its armature moves to the energized position and closes contacts SI and S2. Contact SI provides a circuit for energizing inductor coil E extending from L+ through coil E and contacts SI and MI to L. Contacts EI and E2 of inductor E do not operate at this time, as explained previously, because an operating plate such as plate 2UP in Fig. 1 is required to close proximity to the inductor E to cause the contacts to operate. The car continues upward at full speed until inductor E passes the 2UP plate that is associated with the fourth floor. Contact EI now opens and deenergizes relay V which was held energized through the circuit previously traced. Relay V drops to the deenergized position and opens contact VI which inserts resistor 8| in series with the generator field 54 and causes the elevator to decelerate.

Contact V2 closes and establishes a circuit for energizing inductor coil F extending from L+ through inductor coil F, through contacts V2, SI and MI to L. Contact V3 establishes a holding circuit for relay S extending from L+ through contacts V3 and S2, through coil S and contact M2 to L. Contact V4 closes and establishes a circuit for energizing the up floor lantern IUL at the fourth floor through a circuit extending from L- through contacts V4 and X3 to brush 60 through segment C4, through lantern 4UL to L+. V5 contact closes without efiect at this time.

The car now slows down and approaches the floor level at the landing speed determined by the value of the resistor 8|. Energized inductor F passes the IUP inductor plate associated with the fourth floor which causes contact F2 to open. This contact interrupts the self-holding circuit to coil U that was previously traced through the coil and contact U5. Relay U drops to the deenergized position opening contacts Ul, U2, U3, U5 and U6 and closing contact U4. Contacts UI and U2 deenergize the generator shunt field 54 which causes the generator voltage to drop to practically zero. Contact U3 deenergizes the brake coil 8 and relay coil M. The combined action of deenergizing the brake coil, which allows the brake shoe to engage the brake drum 6, and the deenergization of the generator causes the elevator to come to rest at the fourth floor. When relay M drops out contact Ml deenergizes the inductor coils E and F. Contact M2 in opening breaks the self holding circuit to relay S that was previously traced. Relay S, therefore, drops to the deenergized position to prepare for an operation for another floor. The car attendant now opens the car door and lets his passenger off at the fourth floor, after which he closes the door and restarts the car in the up direction and I will assume travels to the top, which I have shown as the sixth floor, where the car will be slowed down and stopped by terminal limit switches in a well known manner. In leaving the fourth floor, when relay V becomes energized, the 4UL lantern is extinguished. In approaching the sixth floor, brush 6%) moves into engagement with segment 06 and lights the down floor lantern BDL on the sixth floor.

When the car attendant is ready to leave the top terminal he presses button 22 for down motion which opens contact 221). This will deenergize relay coil X. Contact X! in closing establishes a circuit for energizing coil Y extending from L+ through contacts 2 lb, and XI, through coil Y to L. Relay Y then. moves to the energized position opening contact YI which prevents reenergization of coil X when contact 22b closes when the attendant removes his finger from push button 22. For the clown trip, therefore, relay Y will remain closed through the circuit just traced. During the transfer operation between relays X and Y, contacts X2 and Y2 were both momentarily opened. This deenergized the series circuit to the coils 29a which hold the car buttons in position to make stops for car calls. Deenergizing these coils allows any levers 29a (in Fig. 5) to return to the center position through the spring action of contact members 3| and 3m. The levers are, therefore, reset preparatory to starting the down trip and any car calls for the down motion may be registered in a manner similar to that for the up call for the fourth floor just illustrated. When the car leaves the top floor, the EiDL lantern is extinguished by relay V picking up.

I can now assume that the car is traveling upward from the bottom terminal floor as in the previous example and a passenger at the fourth floor wishes to go in the up direction, and so signifies by pressing the up button at the fourth floor shown in Fig. 6 as button iUF. In this case, relay coil 4U will become energized through a circuit extending from L- through button 4UF, coil 4117 to L+. When the relay armature of AU picks up, it closes contact 4U! which establishes a self holding circuit extending from L through contacts AUI, coil 4U to L+, so that when the circuit that was closed by pressing the floor button subsequently opens, relay 4U will still remain in the energized position. Contact 4U! also establishes a circuit to connect segment f4 to L- and also a corresponding segment BM for car B through a connection extending between selectors as illustrated by the short wire and arrow marked 9 that indicates a cross connection between these selector segments. Thus, in the selectors for both cars, a segment is connected to the L- wire and either car may respond to this connection, as will be described later, depending upon which car arrives first at the slow down distance for the fourth floor.

As I have assumed car A traveling up, the sequence for car A will be traced. When brush 66 moves into engagement with segment f4, segment 64 is connected to segment f4 through the cross connection between brushes 65 and 66. This then provides a circuit for energizing the lamp 4CL through a circuit extending from L+ through the lamp 4CL, coil 29, segment c4, brush 65 and brush 66, segment f4 and contact 4Ul to L. This lamp is associated with the car stopping button and is illustrated in Fig. 5 as lamp 33. Because of the lead of brushes 65 and 66 ahead of the car position, this light 4CL will become energized when the car is a number of floors below the fourth floor depending on the number of brushes that are provided. In the example shown, brushes 65 and 66 cause the lighting of the 40L lamp when the car is half way between the first and second floors. Thus, a two-onehalf floor lead is provided to warn the operator that the passenger at the fourth floor wishes to travel in the direction his car is moving. The operator responds to the lighting of this lamp 4CL by moving the lever 40 to the right. This corresponds to moving the lever 20a in Fig. 5 to the left. The movement of this lever closes contacts 403 and 404 and moves the magnetic member into engagement with the core of holding coil 29. Contact 403 places a shunt across the terminals of the lamp 40L extinguishing the lamp and furnishing full energization for the holding coil 29 through a circuit extending from L+ through contact 403, coil 29, segment C4, brushes 65 and 66, segment f4 and contact 4U! to L. Lever 40 will, therefore, stay in the position to which it was moved and the lamp 4CL remains extinguished.

Contact 404 in closing establishes a circuit for connecting segment d4 to the L+ wire and the operation of the slow down mechanism in response to brush 6| moving into engagement with this segment is the same as that described for the car call stop in the previous example. However, in this case, when the slow down is initiated by the dropping out of relay V, contact V5 closes establishing a circuit for energizing coil 4UN extending from L+ through contact V5, through contact X5 to brush 10, through contact 94 which at this time is in engagement with brush 10, through coil 4UN and contact 4UI to L. The magnetic effect of coil OUN is equal and opposed to that of coil 4U and the net effect is that the armature of relay 4U drops to the deenergized position. Contact 4Ul opens and deenergizes both coils. Contact IUI also opens the circuit to the coil 29 that had been held energized through the various pairs of brushes by the various pairs of segments which kept segment e4 electrically connected to segment id as the car approached the fourth floor. The deenerigization of holding coil 29 permits the lever 40 to return to its center position.

If two cars A and B were approaching the fourth floor, both of them would have received the illuminated signal AOL. The circuit for car Bs signal may be traced as follows: From L+ through lamp B4CL, through holding coil B29 to segment Be4, through the various pairs of brushes which, when car B is approaching the fourth floor, will be in position to connect together segments Be4 and B14, through wire 9 to the wire feeding the segment f4 in car A, through contact 4U| to L. If I assume then that both operators move their levers 4c and B40 to the right, both cars would be conditioned to stop at the fourth floor. However, the first car to arrive at the floor will energize the call cancelling circuit previously traced and will drop out the relay 4Ul. The opening of the contact 4UI will then reset both levers 4C and 34C in the two cars simultaneously. As car Bs lever B4C is no longer in the position to cause the car to stop, car B will travel past the fourth floor without a response.

If car A in approaching the fourth floor where the floor call was registered had also had a passenger on the car who wished to get off at the fourth floor, the operator would have previously thrown the lever 4C to the left in engagement with holding coil 29a, and under these conditions he would not have received a signal light as the contacts 402 shunt out the signal lamp 40L. If cars A and B were both approaching the floor under these conditions only car B will receive the illuminated signal and the operator will throw his lever 134C to the right. If car A is the first to arrive at the fourth floor, the resetting circuit for car Bs lever B40 will be set up as outlined in the previous example and car A will make the stop to let off his car passenger and will also pick up the fioor passenger. If, however, car B were the first to arrive at the fourth floor, it would cause the resetting of its own lever after slow down is initiated as previously described for car A, but as car As lever is now thrown to the left for an inside call, car B in slowing down will not reset it, and under these conditions, both cars will stop at the fourth floor, car B stopping first to pick up the floor call and car A stopping later to let off his passenger.

Inspection of the diagram will show that the same action will take place on the down motion as has been described for the up motion. It will be observed that the relative position of brushes and segments in the fioor selector are such that slow down will start on down motion as far above a given floor as it did below the same floor on up motion in response to pressure of the same car lever. The car signals in response to floor calls also illuminate prior to the car arriving at the floor the predetermined amount of shaft travel determined by the pairs of brushes I3 and 80 to 16 and 11.

It will be evident that where three or more cars are operating in the system where each additional car is connected to the system as car B is connected to car A, that more than two cars may be approaching a given floor in the down direction and if all of them arrive within a predetermined distance of the fioor before one of them answers the call that all will receive a signal to stop at that floor, and assuming'all operators throw their levers towards the illuminated signal, that the first to slow down at that floor will release not only his own lever but also those of the other cars whereupon the first car will continue slowing down and will finally stop at that floor but the other cars will disregard the floor as they subsequently pass it.

75 I have devised a system of signals and control for a bank of elevators in which any car will respond to registered car calls without interference from floor calls from the same floors. It is a system in which fioor calls are indicated in any or all cars within a predetermined zone of the floor at which the call originated provided they are traveling in the direction for which the call was registered and do not have car calls registered for the same floor. It is a system in which the operator is given ample time to respond to floor calls so indicated and one in which only one of several cars whose attendants respond to said indications will respond to a given call. Thus the system is selective. I do not wish to be limited to the details as given in the foregoing illustration but desire to be limited only as set forth in the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a controller for an elevator car operating past a floor; a signal device on the car associated with said floor; actuable means for operating said signal device to give a signal; an automatic centering car stopping switch with two operated positions associated with said floor for controlling the stopping of the car at said floor; means to retain said switch in one operated position; and additional means to hold said switch in the other operated position, effective only while the first mentioned means is in the actuated condition.

2. In a signalling mechanism for an elevator car operable past a plurality of floors; a plurality of signal devices on said car, one associated with each of said floors; a plurality of passenger actuated means one for each floor; mechanism driven in accordance with the movements of the car; and means responsive to an operation of any passenger actuated means for cooperating with said mechanism to cause an operation of the associated signal device only while said car is approaching said floor and is within any predetermined distance of said floor.

3. In a signalling mechanism for a plurality of elevator cars operable past a plurality of floors; a plurality of signal devices on each of said cars, each car having one device associated with each of said floors; a plurality of passenger actuated means common to all the cars, one for each of said floors; a plurality of mechanisms one for each car and driven in accordance with movements of the associated car; and means responsive to an operation of one of said passenger actuated means for cooperating with said mechanisms only when said cars are approaching a floor and are within a predetermined distance of that floor for operating one of said signal devices in each car said signal device being the one that is associated with that floor.

4. In a control system for a plurality of elevator cars operating as a bank serving a group of floors; a plurality of signal devices on each of said cars each car having one device associated with each of said floors; a passenger actuated signalling switch for each floor, said switch being common to the several cars; a plurality of mechanisms one for each car each driven in accordance with movements of the associated car; means responsive to the combined action of the common switch at one of the floors and any of said mechanisms for operating the signal device associated with said floor in the corresponding car When said car is approaching said floor and is within any predetermined distance of said floor; a plurality of switches in each car and respectively associated with said signal devices;

means for each car responsive to the operation of said last-mentioned switches for that car for terminating the associated signals; said last named means comprising means for cooperating with said mechanism associated with said car to cause said car to slow down and stop at said floor; and means operative when the first responding car slows down for resetting all car carried switches associated with said floor to an unoperated position.

5. In a control system for a plurality of elevator cars operating as a bank serving a group of floors; a plurality of signal devices on each of said cars each elevator having one device associated with each of said floors; a passenger actuated signalling switch for each floor; said switch being common to the several cars; a plurality of mechanisms one for each car each driven in accordance with movements of the associated car; means responsive to the combined action of the common switch at one of the floors and the respective mechanisms for operating the signal devices associated with said floor in said cars when said cars are approaching said floor and are within a predetermined distance of said fioor; means for each car to cause each car to slow down and stop at said floor, and means responsive to any car slowing down at said floor for terminating the signal associated with said floor on another car.

6. In a control system for a plurality of elevator cars operating as a bank serving a group of floors; a plurality of signal devices on each of said cars, each car having one device associated with each of said floors, a passenger actuated signalling switch for each floor common to the several cars; a plurality of mechanisms one for each car each driven in accordance with movements of the associated car; means for each car responsive to the combined action of the common switch at one of the fioors and the mechanism for the corresponding car for operating the signal device associated with said one floor in said corresponding car when said corresponding car is approaching said one floor and is within any predetermined distance of said one floor; switches in each car individual to each of said signals and operable to cause the associated car to slow down and stop at the corresponding floor; said last mentioned means comprising means to retain the car carried switch for said one floor in operated position; means responsive to the slowing down of a car at said one floor for releasing the said retaining means associated with the others of said cars; and means for each car associated with said one floor for cooperating with the associated mechanism to cause each car to slow down and stop at said floor regardless of said releasing means.

7. In a control system for a plurality of elevator cars operable past a floor; a stopping switch in each car associated with said floor for controlling the stopping of the associated car at said fioor, said switch having an operated and an unoperated position, means associated with each car responsive to said car stopping switch in the operated position for causing said car to slow down and stop at said floor; and means responsive to the last mentioned means of the car first to slow down for said fioor for resetting the said switches of all cars to the unoperated position.

8. A control system for a plurality of elevator cars operable past a floor; operable call means for said floor individual to each of said cars; means for retaining each or" said call means in operated condition; and means controlled by each of said cars for resetting the said call means for another of said cars.

9. A control system for a pluralty of elevator cars operable past a plurality of floors; an operable stop control means for each of said floors individual to each of said cars; means for retaining each of said stop controls in operated position; and means controlled by the stopping of one of said cars at one of said floors for resetting the stop controls corresponding to said one floor for the others of said cars.

10. In an elevator system for operating a plurality of cars past a plurality of floors, a plurality of signal devices on each car, one for each floor, a control device at each floor common to all the cars, means responsive only to operation of a control device at a fioor and to the approach of a car within a predetermined distance of that floor for operating the signal device for that floor in that car, a plurality of switches in each car, one associated with each signal device for each floor, and each switch having two operative positions, one for an inside call and the other for a hall call, means responsive to movement of a switch to either of its operative positions in answer to a call to cause its car to slow down and stop at the corresponding floor, means responsive to movement of a switch to its hall call position in answer to operation of its associated signal device for restoring that signal device to unoperated condition, and means responsive to slow down of the first car responding to an operated signal device for a floor for restoring the signal devices operated for that floor in any other cars and for restoring the operated control device to its normal condition.

11. In an elevator system for operating a plurality of cars past a plurality of floors, a plurality of signal devices on each car, one for each floor, a control device at each floor common to all the cars, means responsive only to operation of a control device at a floor and to the approach of a car within a predetermined distance of that floor for operating the signal device for that floor in that car, a plurality of switches in each car, one associated with each signal device for each floor, and each switch having two operative positions, one for an inside call and the other for a hall call, means responsive to movement of a switch to either of its operative positions in answer to a call to cause its car to slow down and stop at the corresponding floor, and means responsive to movement of a switch to its hall call position in answer to operation of its associated signal device for restoring that signal device to unoperated condition.

12. In an elevator system for operating a plurality of cars past a plurality of floors, a plurality of signal devices on each car, one for each fioor, a control device at each fioor common to all the cars, means responsive only to operation of a control device at a floor and to the approach of a car within a predetermined distance of that floor for operating the signal device for that floor in that car, a plurality of pairs of response switches in each car, one pair for each floor, one of said pair for inside calls and the other associated with the signal device for that floor for hall calls, means responsive to operation of either one of a pair of switches in a car in answer to a call to cause that car to slow down and stop at the corresponding floor, and means responsive to operation of a hall call switch for restoring its associated signal device to unoperated condition. 75

13. In an elevator system for operating a car to the direction of operation of the car for retainpast a. floor, a signal device on the car associated ing the switch in its operated inside call position, with said floor, a control device at the floor, and means responsive to movement of the switch means responsive to operation of the control deto its hall call position in response to a call on said vice and to the position of the car for operating signal device for retaining the switch in its hall the signal device to give a stop signal for said call position and for restoring the signal device to floor, a car stopping switch with a, hall call posinormal condition. tion and an inside call position, means biasing WILLIAM F. EAMES. said switch to a center position, means responsive 

